Study Abroad: Pre-Departure

General travel tip: if you can fit in your suitcase, it's too fucking big

I write this off the back of a
three-day run of open days for the University of Manchester,
representing the English and American Studies department (and
shamelessly proselytising the visiting students). It turned out to
be hugely enlightening in terms of how much I've enjoyed my degree,
and everything I've gained from it now I'm graduating. But of course
the main thing students asked about was studying abroad, so I'll
tackle some FAQs here. There's a lot to think about when it comes to
study abroad, so this first post will cover the application process
and preparation for travel.

1. Was it good?

Best year of my
life, no question. You travel, you meet amazing people from all over
the world, you experience things you'd never dream of, you're exposed
to academic courses that might be unavailable at home. If you can,
GO.

2. Where should I go?

Just like applying
for university in general, you should look at all aspects of your
options: academic strengths, whether they have campus or urban
settings, reputation, even climate. I mean, if you're a person who
can't stand cold weather, Scandinavia and Canada are not good bets.
Even within the University of California system the different
campuses have completely different reputations, e.g. UC Irvine is a
very studious, academic school, whereas UCSB (while still very
academically strong) is a party town. I didn't know this before I
got there, but luckily I was into it. So do some intensive Googling,
after all you will be living in this place for up to a year.

Accurate

3. How much does it cost?

This is very much
dependent on your own Student Finance eligibility, as well as the
programme you're enrolled on. In some cases your student loan might
be increased for your study abroad year. If you're lucky like me, you
might be able to claim money back for flights, visas and health
insurance. But bare in mind the costs on top of day-to-day living,
because in some countries health insurance is a mandatory extra cost,
and if you intend to travel while abroad you might need to budget for
that. In many cases, visa restrictions will prevent you from
working. Many students apply for university knowing they will intend
to study abroad, and therefore live at home throughout their degree
in order to save money for that year abroad. However, some countries
such as Australia do allow visitors on student visas to work, and of
course within the EU this is also an option, meaning that you might
be able to work and earn some extra money while studying.

*And of course you
might find a little cash-in-hand work but you didn't hear it from me

4. Was it useful?

The skills you
acquire from studying abroad are innumerable. In terms of your
degree, the opportunity to take classes in an entirely different
academic environment will enrich your understanding of your subject.
For me, as an American Studies student, living and studying there was
invaluable due to the insights it provided. But even in subjects as
diverse as sciences or Economics, participating in the academic life
of another institution will teach you different approaches to the
subjects, different priorities within research and academic
development. And of course, language students could not ask for a
better way to put their skills into practice.

On a personal
level, there are so many new things you encounter every single day
while studying abroad that you cannot but grow as a person. You gain
the ability to adapt and thrive in new and challenging situations,
very appealing to future employers. You're more willing to take
risks, but also better at assessing them. And you might end up
making contacts not just in your host country, but from many others
to – I befriended people from Moldova, France, Brazil, Hong Kong,
Thailand, New Zealand, and I could go on...

I was trying to attract sharks - my friend was not amused

Bonus question: what should I pack?

You may think this
doesn't need saying, but make sure you've packed properly. For real.
I packed on the morning I left, hungover and anxious, meaning that I
spent my first few months living in Southern bloody California with
no swimwear, beach towel, or weather-appropriate clothing. I mean I
actually came out there in my vintage 1950s Canadian army jacket and
Doc Martens. You change as a person while studying abroad, and I
ended up buying a whole wardrobe of Forever 21 typical SoCal girlie
stuff, but I think just bringing the right kind of things in the
first place might have meant I was less constricted in the activities
I could get involved in. And also that I wouldn't have gone surfing
in my underwear (no pictures available, sorry).

I'm a big fan of studying abroad, I think it's really one of the best things that university can offer you. It allows you to dip your toe into what it's like to live in another country, but with all the support systems universities provide that simply wouldn't be available to non-students. I'm more than happy to answer questions, and there will be more posts in the future about other aspects of studying abroad, as well as a close look at both UCSB and Isla Vista, the town it's situated in.